Top 10 Lemon Balm Tea Benefits

When most people think of balm, they think of goo meant to be slathered on the lips, and funnily enough, there may be an interesting relationship between what we know as balm and a plant by a similar name. Lemon balm, a plant from the mint family, has an abundance of medicinal purposes, and some lemon balm uses might just surprise you. A popular way of using the fragrant leaves of the plant is to take them in tea, as in herbal teas. While tasty to say the least, lemon balm tea benefits don’t stop at flavor! So before you go writing off lemon balm tea as just another hokey or holistic remedy, don’t do so without checking out our top 10 list of lemon balm tea benefits!

1. Mood Enhancer: If you’re feeling blue, you might want to try adding a little green to your life. While a cup of tea will hardly bring instant happiness, lemon balm has been used as a mood enhancer to bring about feelings of well being.

2. Mental Performance: In studies people literally did math problems faster as a result of lemon balm tea benefits. While it may not work in everyone, there is no point in skipping a hot brewed cup of tasty tea if it can lead to more acute mental skills. It’s even been used in people with Alzheimer’s!

3. Calming Anxiety: Due to its sedative like properties, lemon balm for anxiety can help to relieve stress and anxiousness and calm both the mind and body. Unwinding with a cup of hot tea can do wonders for the body in the first place, but the extra relaxing soothe of lemon balm tea may add another layer to your calmness.

4. Weight Control: When combined with other herbs, there are studies that suggest that obesity control is easier with this herbal concoction.

5. Insomnia: Herbal teas have long been used by people to help drift off to dreamland sooner, however the tranquilizing properties of lemon balm tea can make bed time a much more pleasant experience and users have reported the ability to fall asleep faster and enjoy more restful and fulfilling sleep.

6. Cold Sores: One of the most well known lemon balm tea benefits is its ability to battle the herpes virus. That would be the one on your lips, like cold sores, not the other kind (so don’t be sticking tea bags anywhere they don’t belong.) Users report drinking tea when they feel a cold sore coming on in order to stave off the potential infection.

7. Colds: With purported antiviral properties, people have been known to use lemon balm tea during the early stages of common illnesses like colds and been able to ward off the invading viruses.

8. Digestive troubles: Colic and nervous tummies can sometimes be helped with lemon balm tea. It’s likely that the calming effects of the tea can quell spasms and other nervous symptoms that can wreak havoc on the digestive system.

9. Eczema: While the leaves on the skin have long been used as a mosquito repellent, it’s not the only way that lemon balm can help your skin. Supposed anti histamine properties, claimed lemon balm tea benefits, can possibly help to relieve the symptoms of eczema.

10. Headaches: A combination of mechanisms can be responsible for the headache healing properties of lemon balm tea. Perhaps it’s the tea’s ability to calm, which can be useful for tension headaches, or the antihistamine properties that can soothe allergy head pain. Regardless, it’s been used in this application for many, many years.

There are some lemon balm side effects to be aware of. People taking levothyroxine for thyroid issues should not use it in any form as it’s been shown to reduce the effectiveness of the medication. It may also interact with medications that are sedatives. However, given its commercial use in everything from ice cream to herbal teas, it’s generally considered safe and an effective way to soothe the nerves and a rather popular folk remedy for heading off colds and other common ailments.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein is intended for a general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or a treatment for specific medical conditions. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information. Always consult with your doctor or other professional healthcare provider for a medical advice.